Chipotle Chocolate Chili

This chili was pretty good, and I liked using a new-to-me ingredient (chocolate) in my chili.  This recipe just includes a bit of cocoa powder and some unsweetened baking chocolate.  When adding the baking chocolate, add a little at a time, because too much makes it bitter.  (Mine did turn a little bitter after adding half the amount called for, but you can add some red wine vinegar to even it all out).  This chili was almost too spicy for us, and I didn't even include the whole amount of chipotle sauce.  The kids needed some sour cream to tone down the hotness, but they still liked it. 

I cooked the ground turkey and onion in a large skillet on the stovetop and then dumped that, with the rest of the ingredients, into my large crockpot and cooked it that way.  Love having an easy crockpot recipe. 

Chipotle Chocolate Chili
adapted from Our Best Bites

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 lb. lean ground turkey

1 large onion, chopped

1 red, or yellow bell pepper, minced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes

2 14.5-oz. cans beans, drained and rinsed (I used one each of black and pinto)

1 15-oz. can beef broth

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 Tbsp. unsweetened baking cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt, or to taste

Chipotle sauce (from the can of chipotle chilies)

1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate (1/2 unsweetened baking cube), chopped (optional; use to taste as needed; be careful, because too much will make your chili bitter)

3-4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Garnishes:

Light sour cream

Chopped green onions

Fresh Cilantro

Shredded cheddar cheese

1.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and ground turkey until meat is cooked through.  Place mixture into crockpot.  Add bell pepper, garlic, tomatoes, beans, beef broth, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, cocoa, pepper, and salt, if using. 

 2.  Add some of the chipotle sauce from a small can of chipotle chilies-as much or little as you want.  Add a chopped chipotle pepper if you want more heat.  Cook on low for 6-10 hours.  Add 1-2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar and a small amount of chopped chocolate at a time until desired richness is reached. If necessary, add more red wine vinegar to cut the sweetness of the chili. This is where you can play around a little with the flavors.

3.  When thickened and seasoned as desired, serve with chopped green onions, cilantro, sour cream, and shredded cheddar cheese.

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